Beverage mixing and dispensing faucet



De 29, 1964 F. WELTY ETAL 3,163,177

BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSING FAUCET Filed Oct. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet1 INVENTOKS F RAN K WE LT Y B R AYMOND D. WELTY Dec. 29, 1964 F. WELTYETAL 3,163,177

BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSING FAUCET Filed 00%. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTORS FRANK WELTY BY RAYMOND D.WELTY United States Patent ()fifice3,163,157? Patented Dec. 29, 1964 3,163,177 BEVERAGE MIXING ANDDISPENSENG FAUCET Frank Welty, 4962 Lockwood Blvd, and Raymond D. Weity,4397 Lake Road, both of Youngstown, Ohio Filed Oct. 27, 1961, Ser. No.148,275 11 Claims. ((11. 137-607) This invention relates to the art ofdispensing beverages and has particularly utility in beverage dispensingsystems of the general kind in which carbonated water and a flavoringsyrup are intermixed directly in a faucet used to fill a consumersglass. Normally in such systems the carbonated water and the syrupsources are pressurized but the equipment used inherently allows changesin absolute and relative pressures which complicates the properproportioning of the fluids in the dispensing apparatus. One of theobjects of the present invention is to provide an improved combinedbeverage mixing and dispensing faucet wherein the desired volumeproportioning of the water and the syrup may be more uniformly and moreaccurately maintained even though the individual and relative pressuresin the fluid sources may vary widely. An ancillary object in this regardis that the apparatus be fairly simple and inexpensive in mechanicalconstruction, small, compact, and pleasing in appearance, yet capable ofbeing easily serviced and cleaned as need for the same may arise.

A further object of the invention is the provisions in apparatus of thekind outlined above of improved arrange ments for the fluid passagesthrough the assembly whereby the intermixing of the two fluids is morethorough and uniform, and whereby there is no appreciable loss ofcarbonation during discharge of the water, its mixing with the syrup,and the subsequent flow of the mixed beverage into the consumers glass.

An important further object of the invention is the provision of animproved mechanical arrangement for valving the discharge of the syrupin relation to a flow of water so that when the equipment is at rest thesyrup is efiectively sealed from the air and the surfaces of any partswhich are alternately exposed to syrup and air are thoroughly washedclean at the end of each dispensing cycle. This is important forsanitation reasons since the syrups used are commonly heavy insugar-content and thus are subject to very rapid oxidation when exposedto air.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of improvedapparatus having the characteristics outlined above which is rugged anddependable in operation, thus suited for commercial installations, butwhich nevertheless is readily adaptable to being power operated (bysolenoids, for example) under remote or local control.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the following specification and theaccompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodimentof the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a solenoid-powered beverage mixing anddispensing faucet constructed according to the principles of ourinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2;and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a principal supporting block or body memberused in the assembly of FIGURES 1-3, and showing two of the plug insertstherein.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated there is provided ablock-like body member which, as shown in FIGURE 1, is adapted to bemounted in horizontal position with one end face 11 thereof abuttedagainst and rigidly secured to an upstanding square tubular column 12.The latter has suitable means at its lower end for being rigidly securedto a bar structure, not shown, and, of course, the further function ofthe column 12 is to house the various conduits and electrical conductorsrequired for the valve assembly of this invention.

Body member 10 is formed with a spaced pair of vertically disposed andshouldered thru-bores 13 in each of which is snugly received asleeve-like plug 14 having a transverse web 15 therein. As shown moreclearly in FIGURE 3, the webs 15 have centrally disposed aperturestherein with the material immediately about said apertures being raisedto form valve seat 16. One of the conduits passing through column 12carries carbonated Water and is arranged to be suitably connected to aninlet port 17 in the block 10. This inlet port leads to an annularrecess 18 in the outer wall of the adjacent sleeve 14 from whence theWater passes through bores 19 in this sleeve to the space within thesleeve immediately above the valve seat 16.

Screw-threadedly received within the lower portion of the sleeve 14which is adjacent the inlet 17 and inserted from below the block 11) isa fitting 20 in which is received a flow-control assembly consisting ofa fixed orifice member 21 on which rides a deformable button 22. Orificemember 21 discharges through passages 23 and 24 in fitting 20 to anannular space 25 at the bottom end of sleeve 14, from which annularspace the water discharges through a bore 26 in block 10 to an annularspace 27 immediately below the lower end of the other sleeve 14.

Another of the conduits passing through column 12 carries flavoringsyrup and this latter conduit is, in practice, suitably connected to asecond inlet port 28 formed in the block 10, and as shown in FIGURES 3and 4, the inlet port 28 is connected through passage 29 in the block111 to an annular recess 31) formed in the outermost of the sleeves 14.Again, this latter sleeve has passages 31 through which the syrup maypass into the space immediately above the valve seat 16 of this lattersleeve.

Screw-threadedly received into the lower end portion of the .Outermostsleeve 14 and inserted from below the block 10 is a fitting 32 having anintegral depending tubular shank 33. Housed within the fitting 32 anddischarging into the tubular shank 33 is a flow-control device having afixed orifice member 34 on which rides a deformable button 35. Looselyreceived over the shank 33 and secured in proper vertical position by ascrew member 36 is a tubular member 37 which has an enlarged upperflange received within the lower portion of bore 13, being sealedtherein by a resilient deformable O-ring 38. It should be noted that thethreaded shank of the screw member 36 is received within the enlargedthreaded lower portion of the bore through shank 33, and that thefitting 33 has .a vertical passageway 39 leading to radial passageways.40 to discharge syrup into an annular space 4 1 at the lower end of theconical surface 42 of the fitting 36. Adjacent the lower extremity offitting 36 is an annular groove 43 in which is received the thickapertured bottom wall of a yieldable cup-shaped valve element .44. Thislatter element is formed of a suitable rubber or plastic compositionhaving restorative properties so that normally the upper lip of theelement overlies and remains in contact with the conical surface 42 ofthe fitting 36 but which is suflicient-ly yieldable to allow the lip tomove outwardly under the pressure of the fluid issuing from passages 40.to eject .a thin and substantially continuous sheet of fluid upwardlyand outwardly of the adjacent annular edge of the fitting 36.

As pointed out above, one of the important features of the presentinvention is the arrangement whereby the rather viscous flavoring syrupof the beverage is thoroughly interrnized with and/or uniformlydispersed throughout the carbonated water in the consumers glass withoutrequiring any spraying, swirling or impinging of the car- 'bonated waterwhich heretofore have resulted in severe loss of carbonation andconsequently in a fiat and relatively unpalatable drink. The arrangementwhereby this most advantageous object is achieved comprises the abovedescribed method of ejecting the flavoring syrup into the path of thedownward flowing carbonated water, and the apparatus for effecting thisdownward flow will now be described. At the outset, however, we desireto point out that in the dispensing of carbonated water, or of acarbonated mixed drink, into the consumers glass it is essential thatthe pressure and velocity of the liquid be killed in such a manner thatthere is no premature breakout of the carbonating gas from the liquidsince such action is' of a progressive nature and results in a severeloss of carbonation. Therefore, and in accordance with our priorinventions, it is desirable to maintain a solid flow of the carbonatedwater or beverage until a discharge point is reached from which theliquid descends downwardly under conditions of substantially freegravity flow into the consumers glass. In adapting these principles tothe present invention various of the parts above described are sodimensioned and formed with such close tolerances that a thin annulardownward passage is provided between the parts 33 and 37. The lower endof part 37 is crenelated, and clamped between this end and the outermostflange of fitting 36 is the heavy bottom wall of a cuplike sleeve45'WhiCh is accurately made preferably of stainless steel and which isso dimensioned that a thin annular but elongated passage is providedbetween the outer cylindrical surface of the member 37 and the innersurface of the cup 45. An inlet passage thereto is provided by thecrenelationsat the bottom end of member 37, and in passage area theannular space between members 37 and 45 is slightly larger than thatbetween members 37 and 33. Consequently the carbonated water enteringfrom the annular space 27 under high pressure and high velocitydischarges over the top. edge of cup 45 in a solid and fairly slow flow.The cup 45 provides a deep trap to inhibit the break-out or escape ofcarbonating gas as would otherwise be the result of discharge from theannular restricted passage between members 33 and 37. To further entrapthe carbonated gas within the Water and to direct the downward gravityflow of the water in wiping contact with the outer surface of the cup 45and thus into effective and widely dispersed contact with the syrupflowing upwardly and outwardly of the outer peripheral edge of thefitting 36 we provide a ring 46 disposed concentrically about the cup 45adjacent the open top discharge end thereof. The ring 46 is suitablysecured to the body member by the screws 47 which passthrough aperturesformed in the continuous annular ledge 48 of the ring. During operationof the apparatus the carbonated water issues upwardly and outwardly ofthe cup 45 and partially fills the annular space above the ledge 48 thusproviding, in effect, a reservoir of car bonated water which is devoidof any pressure above atmospheric. From this reservoir as well asdirectly from the top of the cup the water flows downwardly over theoutside of the cup in a sheet wmeh is substantially uniform in thicknesscircumferentially about the cup. Because of the wide dispersion of thesyrup and water the mixing thereof is uniform, complete, andsubstantially instantaneous. The mixture discharges downwardly into theconsumers glass under conditions of substantially free gravity fiow, afunnel-like cover 4Q which is carried by the ring 46 being provided toprevent any spillage.

Because the syrup passage from valve to mixing location is more directand shorter than that for the water, the ejection of syrup at the mixinglocation always precedes the initiation of water flow thereto, and atthe end of a dispensing cycle water continues to flow for a short timeafter the flow of syrup is stopped and after the upper edge portion ofthe yieldable valve-like member 44 has reclosed onto surface 42. Thisnot only insures maximum use of the downward flowing water for mixingpurposes but also insures the thorough washing and cleaning of the syrupejecting parts at the end of each dispensing cycle. Flav ring syrupsspoil rapidly when exposed to air and since the dispenser may be usedonly intermittently, it is highly desirable that the exposed parts ofthe dispenser be kept free of syrup between dispensing cycles. Alsocontributing to the sanitation of the apparatus is the action of theresilient cup 4 which, as stated above, has its upper lip normallybiased inwardly to overlie the conical surface 42 of the fitting 36. Asshown in FIGURE 3, this lip overlies surface 42 over a substantial areaso that an effective seal is provided and no air can enter into contactwith the syrup which lies inwardly of the seal thus provided. Since theclear carbonated water continues to run for a time after the syrup isshut off, any of the parts surfaces which are covered with syrup duringa dispensing cycle are thoroughly washed clean after the seal providedby cup 4 5 and surface 42 is effectively established. Therefore nothingremains on these parts surfaces for air to attack between dispensingcycles and the apparatus remains in clean wholesome condition.

Valve ports 16 are controlled by plungers 50 which carry at their lowerends resilient valving inserts 51. While any suitable means, eithermanual or powered, may be used to raise and lower these plungers Sit andthus open and close the valves the embodiments specifically illustratedutilize solenoids 52 to operate these plungers. For this purpose, theplungers 5d are made or" magnetic material and are so dimensioned andlocated that upon energization of the solenoids the plungers are raisedsufliciently to permit the proper opening of the valves.

To mount the solenoids 52 we provide the tubular fittings 53 which areprovided at their lower ends with externally threaded heavy flanges 54screw-threadedly received in recesses formed in the upper ends of theplugs 14. The upper ends of the tubular fittings 53 have studs 55 ontowhich nuts 56 are threaded to hold down the inverted cup-like covers 57for the solenoid coils. Of course, the tubular fittings 53 are made ofnon-magnetic material to increase the efiiciency of the solenoids and,in actual practice, the coils may be mounted directly on these fittings.

The solenoid-powered valve apparatus described above may be employed inautomatic vending equipment wherein the energization of the solenoidswould be time-controlled. When used at a soda bar, however, we prefer tocontrol the energization of the solenoids by means of a smallmicro-switch 58 (see FIGURE 1) which is mounted in a bracket 59 securedto the front wall of the column 12 immediately below the body member 10.Micro-switch 58 is arranged to be operated, in an obvious manner, by alever 65 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end on the bracket 59and which carries at its lower end a target 61 which is in the nature ofa vertically disposed disc positioned immediately below and to the rearof the bottom end of the funnel-like member 49. In use, these variousparts are 50 related that an attendant, with one hand, may place the rimof a consumers glass lightly against the tar-get 61 to actuate thesvsdtch 58 until the glass is properly filled with the beverage. As soonas the glass i removed slightly from the target 61 the switch 58 becomesde-energized and the valves close automatically due to the weight of theplungers 58. The attendant may delay the further and complete removal ofthe glass to allow the. bulk of the final and rinsing water to bedischarged.

It should now be apparent that we have provided an improved beveragemixing and dispensing apparatus which accomplishes the objects initiallyset out. trol devices 21, 22 and 34, 35 consistently proportion thesyrup and caubonating water in an accurate manner and since thesedevices operate independently and may be in.

dependently selected the proportion may be properly predetermined andmade a semi-permanent part of the dispensing apparatus not capable ofbeing normally altered by the attendant. However, they may readily beremoved for cleaning, inspection, and replacement if necessary. It iswell known in the flow-control art that different rates of flow may beachieved by varying the durometer value of the resilient buttons orwashers 22 and 35.

By integrating and arranging the two valves and the various fluidpassages the invention makes possible a more direct path of dischargefor the syrup from its valve so that upon the simultaneous closing ofboth valves water continues to flow a short time after the cessation offlow of syrup to wash oif the parts in the manner described above. Also,the character of discharge of the syrup in relation to the downwardgravity flow of the mixing water is such that uniform and thoroughintermixing is accomplished without subjecting the Water to such actionas would liberate the carbonating gas absorbed therein.

The above specifically described embodiment of the invention should beconsidered as illustrative only as obviously many changes may be madetherein without departing the spirit or scope of the invention.Reference should accordingly be had to the appended claims indetermining the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a beverage mixing and dispensing faucet having a body member withinlet ports to receive carbonated water and flavoring syrup underpressure the improvement comprising:

(a) a pair of plug-like inserts removably secured in said body memberand each having an inlet port communicating with one or the other of theinlet ports in said body member and each having an outlet port,

(12) a valve and a flow-control device mounted in series relation ineach of said inserts and said flow-control devices being each of thekind operative to effect a uniform rate of flow regardless of variationsin the source pressure of the fluid transmitted,

(0) means to provide an elongated restricted passage having an enlargedtrap at the outlet end thereof for receiving carbonated water from theoutlet port of one of said inserts to dissipate the source pressure ofsaid water and to discharge the same from said trap under conditions ofsubstantially free gravity flow,

(d) conduit means to conduct syrup from the outlet port of the other ofsaid inserts to discharge in the path of the downwardly flowingcarbonated water, and

(e) means to open and close said valves.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that each ofsaid inserts (a) comprises a tubular member open at each end and havingan apertured transverse wall intermediate its ends defining a valveport, a movable valving element carried by one end portion of saidtubular member for coaction with said valve port, and the flow-controldevice in each insert being received and held within the opposite openend of the tubular member.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that each ofsaid inserts (:2) comprises a tubular body member open at each end andhaving an apertured transverse wall intermediate its ends defining avalve port, and a movable valving element for coacting with said valveport carried by one open end portion of said insert, said one endportion of said insert being externally shouldered to limit movement ofsaid tubular member in one axial direction relative to said body member,a fitting detachably received in the other open end of said tubularmember and carrying the flow-control device for the insort, and saidfitting being externally flanged to engage said body member and therebyprevent movement of the insert in the opposite axial direction withrespect to said body member.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that at leastthe insert which is connected to the syrup inlet port is mountedvertically in said body member and in that said component (0) comprisesa hollow shank secured to and depending from said last mentioned insertand adapted to transmit the syrup passing through the valve andflow-control device in said insert, a sleeve spaced closely concentricabout said shank, means to conduct the carbonated water from the otherof said insert into the upper end of the annular space between saidshank and sleeve, an upwardly opened cup having its bottom wall belowthe lower end of said sleeve and having its side wall spaced closelyconcentric about said sleeve to define said trap, and means to dischargethe syrup from the lower end of said shank circumferentially about thelower end of said cup.

5. Apparatus for mixing carbonated water and a flavoring syrup toprovide a carbonated beverage and for dispensing the same into aconsumers glass under conditions of substantially free gravity flowcomprising in combination:

(a) a depending hollow shank downwardly through which the syrup isadapted to flow,

(b) a sleeve about said shank intermediate the ends thereof and spacedclosely concentric therefrom to provide an elongated thin annularpassage adapted to receive carbonated water at its upper end,

(0) an upwardly open cup-like member having its bottom wall spaced belowthe bottom end of said passage and having its side wall encompassing butspaced outwardly of at least a portion of the sleeve to provide a liquidtrap for the carbonated water issuing from said passage and a dischargeoutlet for the water up and over the upper edge of said cup, and

(d) means at the lower end of said shank and below said cup-like memberto discharge syrup in a pattern extending circumterentially about thelower end of the side wall of said cup-like member whereby water flowingdown the outside surface of said side wall will intercept said syruppattern.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further characterized in that saidcomponent (d) comprises a fitting at the lower end of said shank havinga longitudinal passage communicating with the passage in said shank andhaving a radially outward extending passage communicating with saidlongitudinal passage, said fitting having an annular outer surface abovesaid radial passage and concentric with the side wall of said cup-likemember, and a resilient yieldable cup-like valve member secured by itsbottom wall to the said fitting below said radial passage and having theupper free portion of its side wall overlying said annular surface, saidvalve member normally applying a clamping force to said annular surfaceto thereby provide an eflective seal between the upper rim portion ofsaid valve member and said annular outer surface.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 further including valve and conduitmeans to continue the flow of water through said passage and over therim of said cup-like member for a short interval of time after thecessation of flow of syrup from said syrup discharge means at the end ofeach dispensing cycle to thereby wash said dis charge means clean inpreparation for standby between dispensing cycles.

8. In a beverage mixing and dispensing faucet the improvementcomprising:

(a) a body member having a substantially fiat bottom surface and a boreextending vertically upward through said body member from said surface,

(1)) a tubular insert rcmovably received in said bore and open at eitherend but having an apertured transverse wall defining a valve port,

(0) means mounted on the upper end portion of said insert to open andclose said port,

(d) a hollow fitting removably received in the lower portion of saidinsert and having a depending shank to conduct downwardly flavoringsyrup discharged through said valve port,

(e) a sleeve concentrically disposed in closely spaced relation aboutsaid shank intermediate the ends thereof to provide a thin elongatedannular passage adapted to receive carbonated water at its upper end,

(f) a cup-like member having a side Wall disposed in spaced concentricrelation about said sleeve and having a bottom Wall below the bottom endof said passage and said cup-like member forming a trap for the waterissuing from said passage and an outlet for the Water over the lipthereof,

(g) means at the bottom end of said shank to discharge syrup therefromin a thin pattern disposed circumferentially about the bottom edge ofsaid cup-like member and thus into the path of the Water flowing downthe outside surface of said side wall, and

(h) a funnel-like guard having an inwardly directed annular bafiieadjacent its upper end secured to said flat surface of said body memberand said annular baffle being operative to entrap water flowing over therimof said cup-like member and redirect the same into downward flowclosely adjacent the outer surface of said side Wall.

9. Apparatus for mixing and dispensing a beverage comprising:

(a) a body member having a pair of fluid passages therethrough adaptedto be connected at their inlet ends to sources of flavoring syrup andmixing water maintained under pressure,

(12) a valve in each of said passages to control the flow of syrup andWater separately,

(6) a flow-control device in each of said passages to control theproportioning of the syrup and Water dispensed regardless of variationsin the pressure of said sources,

(d) means at the outlet ends of said passages to intermix the syrup andwater dispensed therefrom, and

(e) the length of the syrup passage intermediate the means (d) and thevalve in said syrup passage being shorter than the length of the Waterpassage between said means (d) and the valve in said water passagewhereby water is caused to flow through said means (d) for a shortinterval after the cessation of syrup flow from said syrup passage,

10. Apparatus for mixing and dispensing a beverage comprising:

(a) a body member having a pair of passages there through adapted to beconnected at their inlet ends to a pressurized source of flavoring syrupand a pressurized source of mixing Water, respectively,

(b) a valve in each of said passages to individually control the flow offluid therethrough,

(c) a fitting having a conical outer surface at the outlet end of thesyrup passage and a resilient cupshaped valve member adapted to receivesyrup from said syrup passage and having a rim-like portion normallyoverlying and in Contact With said conical surface but adapted to bemoved outwardly by syrup pressure to discharge syrup in an annularpattern between said conical surface and said rim-lil-1e portion, and

(1!) means to discharge water from the Water passage in an annularpattern interceptive of the syrup discharge pattern.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further including means to continuethe discharge fiow of Water for a short interval after cessation of thedischarge flow of syrup from said resilient cup-like valve to Wash theexposed parts thereof at the end of each dispensing cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,174,695 Frickie Oct.3, 1939 2,223,567 Kersten Dec. 3, 1940 2,639,724Cohen May 26, 1953 2,855,958 Welty Oct. 14, 1958 2,890,838 Jannsen lune16, 1959 2,916,252 Hobbs Dec. 8, 1959 3,082,789 Welty Mar. 26, 1963

1. IN A BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSING FAUCET HAVING A BODY MEMBER WITHINLET PORTS TO RECEIVE CARBONATED WATER AND FLAVORING SYRUP UNDERPRESSURE THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: (A) A PAIR OF PLUG-LIKE INSERTSREMOVABLY SECURED IN SAID BODY MEMBER AND EACH HAVING AN INLET PORTCOMMUNICATING WITH ONE OR THE OTHER OF THE INLET PORTS IN SAID BODYMEMBER AND EACH HAVING AN OUTLET PORT, (B) A VALVE AND A FLOW-CONTROLDEVICE MOUNTED IN SERIES RELATION IN EACH OF SAID INSERTS AND SAIDFLOW-CONTROL DEVICES BEING EACH OF THE KIND OPERATIVE TO EFFECT AUNIFORM RATE OF FLOW REGARDLESS OF VARIATIONS IN THE SOURCE PRESSURE OFTHE FLUID TRANSMITTED, (C) MEANS TO PROVIDE AN ELONGATED RESTRICTEDPASSAGE HAVING AN ENLARGED TRAP AT THE OUTLET END THEREOF FOR RECEIVINGCARBONATED WATER FROM THE OUTLET PORT OF ONE OF SAID INSERTS TODISSIPATE THE SOURCE PRESSURE OF SAID WATER AND TO DISCHARGE THE SAMEFROM SAID TRAP UNDER CONDITIONS OF SUBSTANTIALLY FREE GRAVITY FLOW, (D)CONDUIT MEANS TO CONDUCT SYRUP FROM THE OUTLET PORT OF THE OTHER OF SAIDINSERTS TO DISCHARGE IN THE PATH OF THE DOWNWARDLY FLOWING CARBONATEDWATER, AND (E) MEANS TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID VALVES.